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Comments, Questions, Contact

FRIENDS: I hope you enjoyed this website. I would love to hear from you. If you have a question, or if you have a story to tell, leave a comment here. Or, you can send an email to me:
stepdancesue at gmail dot com. Find The Crankie Factory on Facebook and You Tube. I post a lot of crankie things on INSTAGRAM SueTruman1015. And by all means MAKE A CRANKIE!

Hi Michele! That sounds wonderful! We can communicate via email, but for the benefit of others, I will address some of your questions here.

Regarding the materials for the scroll, usually in the classroom, an 18" wide roll of easel/craft paper
is the most economical. One can paint or draw or glue pictures/collage or a combination of all based on each student's art abilities.

Regarding the crankie box, perhaps one of the parents could make a wooden crankie box that would hold an 18" high
scroll. All the students would take turns using the same crankie box to show their crankie. See the Make a Crankie Box in the "Make a Crankie" section for dimensions.

OR, another option would be for each student to bring in a shoebox, they would
each make their own crankie box from that. The scrolls would of course be much smaller. To see examples of miniature crankies, go to the "Watch a Crankie" section and then the "Miniature Crankies".

OR, another way to do the miniature version, is to
purchase paper mache boxes, available in craft stores. Then the dimensions of all the boxes would be the same. You would make one box that functioned properly and everyone's box could be modeled after that one.

For more examples of crankies made
by children, go to the "Watch a Crankie" section, then click on "Made by Children"

Finally, I know of some other teachers that have done this. Let me check my email and see if I can find a couple contacts for you.

I will be in touch via
email!

Written by
Michele Redman on
Jun. 13, 2015

I am a NYC teacher of English and would like to plan on teaching a unit on memoir and personal coming-of-age stories next year using the vehicle of the cranky; performance art. I need really specific specifications about how to make a cranky. I am a bit
confused about the materials used to make the rolls. As I have up to 20 students I am unsure how to proceed; make one cranky with many rolls, shoebox cranky or other? I am new to creating a cranky and not sure what would be the best method. Any advice for
a newbie?

Email:

Written by
Dave on
Feb. 1, 2015

Love crankies! I'm part of a volunteer music fest focused on the autoharp, will take place July 30-Aug 1 near Portland. (NWAG.org) We are always interested in showing how music can be partnered with another medium. Would you be interested in doing a session?
Or do you have a counterpart in Portland? Hopefully one of us could play the autoharp behind tune.

Briana, Thank you for your message. That first Seattle Crankie Fest was such a good time. It was so special to have Anna and Elizabeth there. There will be a mini crankie fest. at the NW Folklife Festival, Saturday, May 23 at the Center House Theater from
2:00 to 3:00. I will post details here later on in the spring. Also, there will be a crankie workshop at the Oly Ol Time Fest on Friday, Feb. 13th in Olympia, from noon to 2:00. I will post some info on that soon. Thanks again!

Written by
Briana on
Jan. 26, 2015

Hello, I brought my boyfriend to the very first Crankie show at NW puppet theatre. In fact, I still have the little paper ornaments they gave out to the audience.

Do you know if there is going to be a festival in 2015? I don't want to miss it!

Thank
you in advance.~BrianaExpeditionist@gmail.com

Email:

Written by
Sue Truman on
Dec. 29, 2014

Debie, Hello! Thank you for the compliment! Of course, you are welcome to use any of the pictures of my (Sue Truman's) crankies or any of the videos of my crankies on the Crankie Factory's You Tube channel. I will send an email to you as well. Cheers!

Written by
debbie from on
Dec. 29, 2014

Hi Sue,I wanted to find out if I could use one of the photos on the website to illustrate what a crankie is?Thanks for providing such a fabulous resource!~debie

Email:

Written by
sue truman on
Sep. 23, 2014

Jennifer, would love to work with you on this music video Project. I will send you an email. Mine is stepdancesue at gmail dot com. Look forward to sleeping to you!

Written by
Jennifer on
Sep. 23, 2014

Sue Truman, do you have an email where I could reach you??I have a request.email me at jnnfr.sandoval@gmail.comI am a fan of your work!

-Jennifer

Email:

Written by
Sue Truman on
May. 29, 2014

Doug, Hello! Yes, I remember you, it took a minute because it's been awhile since Michael was in El. school. He's 23 now, out of the house and working as a Pharmacy Tech. He really likes it. Yes, I would be delighted to visit Meridian School (one of the
best) with my crankies. I will call you tomorrow!

Written by
Doug Coppinger on
May. 27, 2014

Hi Sue or Seattle Crankies,

This Doug Coppinger from The Meridian School (still there!). I would like to talk with you about these wonderful moving panoramas and possibly coming to our Summer Program to present to our young participants about
this art. My phone number is 206.632.7154.Hope to hear from you!

Doug

Email:

Written by
Dennis on
Jan. 17, 2014

Do you have any suggestions for how to keep the scroll moving on a level tract? Mine keeps going up a bit I think the two spools are pretty much straight up and down.

Email:

Written by
Sue Truman on
Dec. 16, 2013

Dennis - That' great that you made your first crankie and a bummer about the white out. This reminds me of my first crankie, I didn't realize that wool felt (VS Eco Fi felt) blocked out the light. So when I had the crankie half finished I loaded it into
the box, turned on the light and all the wool/felt images turned out black - not what I had in mind. Not sure what to suggest to you (very fine sand paper??) but don't get discouraged and I hope we will see your crankie. Send a picture or video si=ometime.
Sue

Written by
Dennis on
Dec. 15, 2013

Hi,Just finished my first crankie. Have one big problem, and hoping you might have some solution---- if one exists. Some drawings needed corrections so I used wite-out. Looks fine on the face of the paper. But when I back-lit it, they come out as
big, dark blotches. Can't think of anything to do but re-draw a whole lot of pictures.